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Friday, January 30 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 05

Indo American erican News

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January 30, 2015

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 30, 2015

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Keemat Grocers Celebrated Republic Day, Masala Style

Photos: Carlos Pena

HOUSTON: Keemat Grocers celebrated Republic Day at their third and newest location on FM 1960 near Cutten Road on Sunday January 25 from 1-5 P.M. Sunil T with his crazy Masala Crew hyped the festivities with riveting comedy and contests. Anyone traveling along FM 1960 could catch the first glimpses of excitement: the balloons, tents, ethnic wind dancers and Masala Hummer.

Kids enjoyed the outdoor moon-

walk while the parents didn’t mind standing in steady lines for complimentary mouthwatering Pani Puri and Bhel Mixes arranged by Deep Food’s, Umang Mehta. Even the crowds standing in long lines at the register were amused while Sunil T entertained with random dance contests to “Hud Dabang Dabang Dabang’ and patriotic songs sung live by Malika Ghei and Suman Mangu. Several young shoppers danced led by Masala Radio

Jockey Iman Virani. The interiors vibrated with tri-color balloons and hit Bollywood music with DJ Zee. Winners won Keemat saffron boxes and Discount Power T-shirts and movie passes.

Shoppers enjoyed shopping for amazingly fresh produce – at low prices. Seven patrons put their kitchen skills to test at a fast-paced Tri-Color salad making competition. Contestants had 20 minutes to select all their ingredients from

Keemat, wash the vegetables, chop and display their unique creations.

Salads contained everything from the Keemat fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, to exotic dates, pomegranate seeds, paneer, yoghurt, and even sev!

Judges Keemat managers Kaushal and Anil, and Discount Power’s Fayyaz Ali deliberated over spoonfuls before announcing the winners: 1st: “JAI HIND” SALAD by Pinki Garg, 2nd: Rachna Agarwal

and 3rd: Manisha Mohta. Excitement levels peaked at 2:30 PM and 4:30 PM as Keemat raffled away two 50” plasma televisions to Premila Ben and Om Bhatia.

Keemat patrons enjoyed the spirit of Republic Day with Keemat 3’s modern store design, low prices, and excellent customer service!

They are located at 6911 FM 1960 West, Houston TX 77066 or visit KeematGrocers.com.

Photo Courtesy: Carlos Pena

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January 30, 2015

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 30, 2015

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Houston Keeps Spirits High for India’s 66th Republic Day Celebrations at India House

BY VANSHIKA VIPIN HOUSTON: As all traditions in Houston progress through the years, Indo-Americans from all over Houston continue to celebrate their annual tradition of India’s Republic day on January 26, at India House, Houston. The event commemorates the day when India’s constitution came into force on January 26, 1950, completing the country’s transition towards becoming an independent republic and giving people the power to choose their own government. India House was set up with glorious decorations consisting of India and Texas flags to fill the halls commemorating the occasion.

In honor of the day United States, Indian and Texas flags were hoisted outside the front entrance of India House by the President of India House – Jugal Malani, Board of Director – Col. Raj Bhalla and President of ICC -Charlie Patel.

Not only Indo- Americans but also people from diverse cultures attended the occasion with a spirit of brotherhood and good will.

Together they embodied the patriotic spirit of Independent India. Both the Indian as

well as the U.S national anthems were sung at the occasion to derive a feeling of oneness. Michael Miller, the Program Manager of India House, sang the U.S National Anthem. All the Indians attending the occasion proudly sang the Indian National Anthem. A feeling of proudness surely filled the halls of the occasion. The Indian patriotic songs that were played led everyone to a nostalgic trip down the memory lane, reminding us of the courageous spirit of freedom fighters.

Dr. Upadhyay gave the Patriotic rendition of the event as he recited his poem on patriotism called “Saugandh” Representative from Senator Ellis’ Office, Dawn Hurd spoke at the event sending greetings and awarded a certificate of recognition for India House at the occasion.

Other members that spoke at this occasion were Jugal Malani, Devi Prasad Rungta and Charlie Patel. As the event proceeded to the end delicious snacks and appetizers were served to everyone, catered by Madras Pavilion.

The event surely was a one to remember as it not only made us feel proud but also connected us with our Indian roots again

Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com.

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Photos: Bijay Dixit

and reminded us that even though we are far away for home, the love for our country is embedded in our hearts.

For more information on India House and its various programs visit at www.indiahouse.org or contact vipin@ indiahouseinc.org or call at 713-9291900.

WRITERS ... TAKE NOTICE Writers are requested to limit their words to 500.

The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Tuesday of each week. For more information, Call 713-789- NEWS (6397) or email us at:

indoamericannews@yahoo.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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COMMUNITY Stand-up Comedian Russell Peters: Almost Famous January 30, 2015

reer in stand-up comedy ever since.

There is never a moment in his show that you will not laugh your guts out. Russell Peters is largely spontaneous, witty and quick on his feet; it is a part of him.

He starts off with personal experiences, then he picks on the audience, which usually consists of racist and raw jokes. His R- Rated comedic material can be cringe worthy but, yet has the audience wanting more. It is part of the show spirit to enjoy and have an open mind about his humor.

BY VANSHIKA VIPIN HOUSTON: An hour of pure entertainment filled with hysterical laughter. Houstonians had an opportunity to meet Russell Peters this past weekend. Having two of his shows

sold out, Houston got the chance to experience his Almost Famous World Tour on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January at the Cullen Performance Hall.

Peters is a Canadian born Indian. He first started his career in Toronto in Canada, in the late 1980’s and has had a successful ca-

Houston’s thoughts on the Show: Siva Kumar Juturi Going second time to his show was even wittier, funnier and rip-tickling for me. I cannot recollect even a single line that was a repeat from his last show.

Would rate him as the #1 global stand-up comedian who can appeal to all cultures and races.

Kavita Tewary Russell Peters defines stand up comedy, he is inherently a very funny and smart man. We thoroughly enjoyed the show.

He talks about stuff that we go through day to day life and he makes it seem funny some how.

Tanaz Choudhury The Russell Peters Show was hilarious, a wonderful investment in laugh therapy !

We enjoyed the evening as not only was Russell very good, and even the opening acts were funny! Just a word of caution though... no minors under 18, since we

were sitting right next to the 13 year old kid that got pulled up and the parents who were beyond embarrassed.

Asha Pai Dhume Thoroughly enjoyed the Russell peters show this past weekend. He was at his hilarious best and in his full element at this show. He still manages to adapt to his audience and successfully tailor his jokes to the crowd which is very commendable. Looking forward to seeing him next time.

Sunil Thakkar Russell is god of spontaenuous comedy.

He can say something funny about anything.

I wish I was that talented. We had him on the masala cruise 6 years ago. But I do wish he had done some more of his own routine than just pick on the audience the entire nite Preanka Desai Russell Peters was hilarious. Not as raunchy as he was the last time; picking on audience members and tailoring jokes to their situation is a skill he has mastered. His opening acts Sarah Tiana and Chris were entertaining and funny as well. Ushers and event staff had strict instructions to prevent any cellphone/electronic device use, and monitored continuously. He even picked on a lady who received a phone call during the middle of the show, embarrassing her into quickly hanging up. Back in 2004 when he did standup comedy on Masala Cruises, he was just as funny and has certainly moved up in the comedic hierarchy with his sold out shows...two back-to-back.

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January 30, 2015

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COMMUNITY

January 30, 2015

Rashi Vats Runs Chevron Marathon

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Proud dad, Raj Vats (with hat) beams after his daughter Rashi finished the Chevron Houston Half Marathon on Sunday, January 18. Her husband Daniel is on the right.

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HOUSTON: Last week we ran the story on the people we knew had run the Chevron Houston Marathon. There are certainly many more Indo-Americans who took to the streets to make that event on January 18, and next year we’re hoping they’ll all send us their pictures for a truly big story.

One of those who ran this year but we only

just heard about is Rashi Vats, the Channel 26 Fox News occasional anchor and reporter for the past two years. Rashi ran the half marathon and beat her own record. Her husband, Daniel Gotera who is the sportscaster at Channel 11 KHOU and her proud father, Raj Vats, met her at the finish line. Raj is a software consultant who has migrated into making TV commercials and has small roles in TV comedy serials.

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WRITERS ... TAKE NOTICE Writers are requested to limit their words to 500. The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Tuesday of each week.

For more information, call 713.789.NEWS (6397) or email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 30, 2015

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Experts Try to Take Away the Taxation Blues for the Worried

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: For the fourth year in a row, community experts from the accounting field took time away from their peak crowded tax period to share some of their knowledge with a two-hour seminar held last Sunday, January 25 at India House, as part of the Indo American Chamber of Commerce’s series of outreach programs.

In the past, the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin have partnered with the Chamber to bring the event, but this year it sat out and instead, former GOPIO President Mahesh Shah elected to provide free masala chai, pakoras and samosas from his restaurant, Madras Pavilion. The new president of GOPIO, Surinder Trehan and his wife Lalitha came to attend the seminar.

True to the unflinching and unwavering nature of accountants, the same six panellists who have participated in the past four years came together once again to show what areas of the US Tax Code have changed and how these may affect your lives in the future. They

At the Tax Seminar organized by the Indo American Chamber of Commerce with the panellists are, standing from left, IACCGH Treasurer Swapan Dhariyawan, moderator Atul Kothari, IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia and Mike Jain; seated from left, Mahesh Desai, IACCGH President Ashok Garg, Ajit Thakur, Kershaw Khumbatta and Imtiaz Munshi.

Photo: Bijay Dixit

were introduced in turn by the previous president of the IACCGH, Ajit Thakur, who is known for his percolating sense of humour and witticisms, all of which was on display as he moved between the panellists. Acknowledging the position of Indo American’s in the US landscape, Thakur said that

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“whether they were doctors, engineers, or businessmen, it is upto the CPA to help us keep our hardearned money.”

The seminar was organized by the Treasurer of the Chamber, Swapan Dhairyawan, himself a CPA in private practice. He acknowledged the presence of two

student groups from the University of St. Thomas and the University of Houston which had shown an interest in being part of the organization. Dhairyawan stressed the importance of the Overseas Voluntary Disclosure Act that requires that money in foreign funds be properly dis-

closed to the IRS. This topic was the main thrust of the seminar three years ago when the IRS began to clamp down on those who had not submitted their forms, under duress of heavy penalties. Mahesh Desai went over

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CONTINUED ON PAGE

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COMMUNITY

10 January 30, 2015

Shoba Joshi’s

Geetanjali Radio Fundraiser & Gala

Kal Ke Geet Aaj Ke Geet Mal Mal Se Geet Pal Pal Ke Geet When:

Saturday, February 28 at 7.00 PM Where:

India House, 8888 W Bellfort Ave Houston, TX 77031 This year, we are featuring live entertainment and dance. Come wine and dine with us at India House, along with the soulful voice of Bansi Chabria who will be performing live on stage along with local Houston talent.

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For Tickets please call 832-878-4338 or 281-909-0825 Limited Seating : You can sponsor a Table.

Sponsors: Raj & Jugal Malani, Kohinoor diamonds, Udipi Cafe, ABC Travel, KRISHA Impex, DB Daughters Event Planners, Darshak Thacker, Dave, Sudhakar Roy Chinasumala, Vipin Kumar, Vanshika Vipin.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 30, 2015

Indian Heritage Takes on the Court at Rice Basketball

Photos: Jasleen Kaur

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: Basketball, Bollywood and bhangra, it seems, are made for each other. It’s the perfect court to show off all the synchronized moves that are part and participle of the colourful dance groups that are popping up all over the Bayou City at ball games, starting off from the Houston Rockets half-time shows over the past four years.

This past weekend, on Saturday, January 24, three dance groups from the area let loose at Rice University’s basketball arena when Rice took on Louisiana Tech in front of about 2,000 spectators. Just before the exciting ball game started, two groups – Naach Houston and Rice Bhangra – took to the court and game the people some dance music and choreographed moves to get pumped up about. Towards the end of the ball game, students from the Sunanda’s Performing

Arts Center brought the crowd to their feet with dancers spread all over the floor.

The Indian treatment was the brainchild of Shulmith Mathyala, the General Manager for Ticket Sales at Rice Athletics. He not only invited the groups to perform but also got some local Indian merchants –a mehndi artist, Parinaz Boutique and another - to put up booths in the front lobby area. Wellknown local dancer and organizer Jasmeeta Singh got wind of what Shu was trying to do and helped out with a booth depicting the culture of India. Her sister-in-law, Jasleen Singh, a wedding and event photographer helped out taking pictures of the event.

Many people at the game were walking around with mehndi designs on their forearms. “It was definitely a great experience,” said Ashuman Garg of Parinaz, which had brought along a host of clothing and traditional shoes from her store on Jones Road and FM 1960.

“I really wanted to bring exposure to the large Indian student body at Rice,” said Shu after the game.

Originally from Pune and Bombay, Shu has been with Rice Athletics for the past three years and was with an NBA Development team in McAllen in the Rio Grande Valley for three years before that.

“I’d love to do this again next year,” he added, even considering a similar event when the baseball season starts up.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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12 January 30, 2015 COMMUNITY A Melodious Evening in Houston with Anup Jalota

Anup Jalota with radio host Shoba Joshi.

Anup Jalota with the Masala Radio crew.

BY DR. NIK NIKAM & VANSHIKA VIPIN HOUSTON: On January 25, Stafford Civic Centre, held one of their first concerts of the year.

They were lucky enough to host one of the greatest singers, Padma Shri Anup Jalota; the Bhajan

Samraat, is also the only singer in India with the most Gold, Platinum, and Multi-platinum albums who enthralls his audience with Bhajans, Gazal, which is what he is renowned for. This amazing artist was brought to perform thanks to Jagdesh Dave of Pooja Enterprises and Dr. Satish Patel.

The program started a few minutes late due to technical challenges, but once Anup Jalota came on the stage, the audiences were entertained for more than 3 hours with his melodic music, stories, humor, Bhajans, and Gazals.

Anup Jalota is consummate entertainer. He tried to establish a much more friendlier bond with his audience telling them stories about his life and made people laugh with his jokes, he interacted well with the audience by telling them to join in, as the concert was as much theirs’ as his.

Beyond his elegant and enticing acts, Anup Jalaota, sang his most famous bhajan Aisi Lagi lagan, and also paid tribute to late Jagdit Singh by singing his favorite numbers like, “Hoto Se Chulo

Tum,” and others. At that point the energy and excitement felt in the atmosphere at the Centre was truly remarkable as most of the audience contributed to the music and sang along.

As the crowd applauded the performances with enthusiasm, Anup Jalota along with his musicians couldn’t resist pleasing them with more of his splendid performance.

He was accompanied by Dexter, our Houston Rhythm Master who played exquisite beats on his tabla to accent Anup Jalota’s Bhajans.

Inspired by his performance, Dexter too was filled with enthusiasm as he accepted the challenge to play Jugal bandi with Anup jalota and his Sitar and Santoor players without missing a beat. He had such skills that he could recite the songs with his fingertips before they were even played or uttered.

Such blissful music surely deserves a crystal clear sound system. Darshak Thacker, from Krishna Sounds provided superb sound and made no room for error. The crowd truly enjoyed the soothing music through his professional sound systems.

Dr. Nik Nikam, a well-known host for the all India Radio Houston served as the emcee for the

evening. Along with being an emcee for the show, he was also lucky enough to have the distinct privilege of interviewing Anup Jalota for 25 minutes, which can be watched on YouTube or Vimeo under the “NIK NIKAM,” Channel.

Dr. Nik Nikam also recognized David and Chandrakanta Courtney for their four-decades of contribution to the India Hindustani Classical Music and Rhythm in Houston.

Dr. Nikam also announced that some of the proceeds from the concert would be donated to charitable institutions such as the Indian Doctors Charity clinic, Daya, and others. Dr. Patel thanked the Atrium Medical center for its support.

With a good feedback on this stunning performance, Jagdesh Dave of Pooja Enterprises thanked the sponsors like Bhojan, Deepa and Ajit Thakkur, ABC Tracel, D&B Designers for their support.

Such a performance was truly memorable and more such performances would be awaited in future. To make things more exciting, Dave also quoted that they will be brining Hans Raj and Bappi Lahari in the coming months for many more such magnificent performances.

For advertising Call: Vanshika Vipin 713.789.NEWS

(6397) INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 30, 2015

VSGH Youth Convention Sparks Interest in Swami Vivekananda (Swamiji)

Judges from left: Dr. Chitra Divakaruni, Dr. Amrit Achari, Swami Sarvapriyananda.

Contestants from left: Prathiba Duvuuri, Ananya Dhar, Alolika Sarkar, Gaurav Agrawal, Sagarika Roychoudhury, Milan Mitra and Girisa Sai Yaddanapudi.

Photos: Sanchali Basu

BY SANCHALI BASU HOUSTON: What better way to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s birthday than to organize a Youth Convention in his honor.

That is what the Vedanta Society of Greater Houston (VSGH) devotees arranged to be staged on January 24 at the VSGH Center on Lindita Drive. What made it even more special was the presence of Swami Sarvapriyananda, who was invited by the VSGH specifically to grace this occasion. Having served already in the capacity of a Vice Principal, Principal and Registrar of different Ramakrishna Mission Institutions, he was an obvious choice to oversee the Youth Convention program at VSGH. The afternoon was kicked off by a powerful talk by Sw. Sarvapriyananda on “Education and the Power of Mind” targeted towards the youth and the young at heart. He explained the limits of cognition and the capacity of the brain to process a maximum of 126 bits/ second. He took the help of Csíkszentmihályi’s flow graph to draw similarities between Yoga and Flow and stressed the importance of attention, focus and concentration by alluding to Winifred Gallagher’s book “Rapt”.

At the end of the talk, the audience was divided up into 4 groups, group leaders were identified and were asked to answer the questions, “What are three advantages of concentration?”, and, “How does one apply flow in work study and play?” Enthusiastic group discussions followed and brought out several interesting points. A short guided meditation led by the Swami wrapped up the first half of the convention.

The second half was a multimedia presentation contest for the youth in 2 groups.

Judges, Swami Sarvapriyananda, Dr. Amrit Achari and Dr. Chitra Divakaruni were introduced by emcee Dolon Das. The younger group dealt with the topic, “Swami Vivekananda’s Spirituality in childhood.” There were 3 speakers and each one, considering their tender age had delved deep into the topic and presented anecdotes from Swamiji’s life so well that one could listen to them over and over again.

The older group of 4 contestants dealt with, “Swamiji’s Accomplishments in the West.” Being more mature, their extensive research brought out some very interesting facts about Swamiji’s various trips to the west and the impact that he’d created starting off with his address at the Parliament of World Religions of, “Sisters and Brothers of America.” They felt that his teachings and messages are still valid to this day and they draw inspiration from them. Each presenter did ample justice to the topic and handled the questions asked by the judges very well. The presentations were followed by a summing up speech by Sw. Sarvapriyananda on Swamiji. He touched on Swamiji’s principles of universality and harmony of religions which are even more relevant in these modern days of global religious strife. The concept of each soul being potentially divine and the 4 paths of Yoga, Jnana, Bhakti, Raja and Karma stressed by Swamiji were also mentioned.

The convention ended with the award distribution ceremony, vote of thanks and a sumptuous meal catered by Gourmet India.

It was heartening to see the interest in Swamiji amongst the youngsters. For information on future programs at VSGH please visit www.houstonvedanta.org.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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14 January 30, 2015

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 30, 2015

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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16 January 30, 2015

COMMUNITY

Dindigul I. Leoni’s Comedy Hour in Houston

BY PONNI SIVARAMAN PEARLAND: As part of their efforts to raise funds to aid in the education of specialized and needy children of Secondary and Higher Secondary schools from the rural district of Thiruvarur, South India, a “Pattimandram “ or a “Debate in Tamil” was hosted by the Tamil Nadu Foundation’s (TNF) Houston chapter on Friday, January 23, at Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland, Texas.

Dr. Ram Sivaraman, President, TNF Houston Chapter presented TNF activities in detail and the need for raising funds to improve public schools in rural Tamil Nadu. He highlighted about funding needs for the adopted rural schools in Thiruvarur District.

Earlier Bala J Balachandran, VicePresident / Treasurer, welcomed the audience who turned out in large numbers inspite of being a work day evening.

Tupil Narasiman, Vice-President, Bharathi Kalai Mandram

(BKM), Dr. P. Vaduganathan, Sri Meenakshi Temple (MTS) and Srikanth Venugopal, Secretary, MTS complimented the services of TNF Houston Chapter and also for being a co-sponsors for the event. This is the first time in Houston that the three local organizations conducted a charity program jointly. Dr. S.G. Appan, Advisory Board Member, TNF Houston Chapter, mentioned in brief about the 2012 National TNF Conference in Houston. Sam Kannappan, Advisory Board Member and Honorary President MTS, TNF Houston Chapter, presented

a “Ponnadai” and Plank to Leoni.

The event, with a panel of 6 members was chaired by Kalaimamani DindIgul I. Leoni, a teacher, a great orator and a comedy debates judge. The panel participants were: Natarajan, Govindan, Arul, Srividya, Andrew and Nandhu.

Leoni worked as a science teacher in Saint Mary’s higher secondary school in Dindigul for many years before he quit his job to become a full time Pattimandram judge.

He is famous for his humor and for the simple messages he conveys in his Pattimandrams which

enlighten the masses. Leoni was given the ‘Kalaimamani” award by the Government of Tamil Nadu for excellence in the field of arts and Literature. He currently conducts “Nalla Pesunga Nallathaiyae Pesunga” (Speak well and speak about good) a regular pattimanram show on Kalaingar TV. The event in Houston drew a house full crowd, even on a cold and rainy night. Leoni had the audience spellbound and kept them roaring with laughter continuously for about three hours. Needless to say, the event was very entertaining and a huge success. Govindan Somakanthan, Committee Chair, TNF Houston Chapter coordinated in bringing the chief guest to Canada and the US. Huge Thanks to Bharathi Kalai Mandram, Houston and Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland Texas, who co-sponsored the program and made it a huge success. Raj N Thiagarajan, Secretary, delivered the vote of thanks to those who attended, supported, volunteered and specifically the donors who graciously donated for a noble cause.

Experts Try to Take Away the Taxation Blues for the Worried CONTINUED FROM PAGE

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these requirements and the rules and submission process that have evolved since then, with Dhairyawan following up with his own experience with this category of compliance. The major shift has been to submit the forms online and the reduction of penalty to 5 percent for late filing.

Kershaw Khumbata went over the different types of retirement plans – from the IRA, Roth IRA, SEP, Simple IRA and the more complicated 401(k) plans and urged people to maximize their contributions as they got closer to age 50 and above.

Umesh “Mike” Jain went over the current year’s changes in the tax laws, with the upward creep in the tax rates for those earning $400,000 and more, coupled with the Obamacare Act deduction, the raising in the capital gains from

15 to 20 percent and the Alternate Minimum Tax affecting many more people. He pointed out the often ignored ways that businesses could reduce their tax rates.

Atul Kothari pointed out the ways that a business entity could be formed and the benefits and pitfalls of each, some of which could be evident only many years later when a problem would occur. And Imtiaz Munshi rounded out the seminar with responses to frequently asked questions from record keeping to dependents and many more items that people encounter when filling in their 1040 forms.

At the end of the seminar, all of the panellists held free consulting sessions at tables towards the side of the hall, some with long lines from worried taxpayers.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 30, 2015

17

INVITATION

Brick Puja for Ma Gayatri Temple in Katy In preparation of the upcoming temple of Ma gayatri, the Gayatri Pariwar of Houston will be holding a brick puja ceremony on Saturday, Feb 7th at the Ashta Laxmi temple in Sugarland.

The brick puja starts at 4 pm and will be followed by Maha prasad.

Gayatri Pariwar extends a heartfelt invitation to the Houston community to come and be a part of this auspicious brick puja ceremony.

One may also write 108 or more Gayatri mantra in red ink, on a piece of paper and bring it to this ceremony. Both the prayed brick and the written mantras will be installed under the murti of Ma Gayatri during the murti installation project.

The location of the upcoming temple is 29104 Park Row in Katy. The devotees are eagerly waiting for the city permits to come through to be able to start the remodeling project of this temple.

The members of the Hous-

ton Gayatri Pariwar are very grateful to the Houston community and those from other parts of the country who have helped raise the necessary funds to enable them to purchase the property in Katy. Over a $100,000 in expenses is still expected to occur once the remodeling project commences. Any contribution from the supporters would be highly appreciated and no amount is too small!

Gayatri Pariwar offers several ritualistic services and sanskars to benefit the local

community, such as Gayatri Havan, Grih Pravesh sanskar, punsavan sanskar, Naam vidhii, Satya Narayan Vrat Katha and Marraige ceremony. Gayatri Pariwar does not charge anything for any of these services and solely depends on the contribution that comes on its own accord for the services performed.

Donation towards the new temple can be mailed to 19515 Cisco Ct. Cypress, Tx in the name of “AW Gayatri Pariwar Houston” OR online (texas.awgp.org) Gayatri Pariwar is non profit 501(c) (3) organisation and all tax receipts will be mailed out to the contributor.

We hope to see you at the brick puja and if you are not able to attend, you may call and reserve a brick in your name, mail us your written Gayatri mantra and we will do the puja for you. For more information, please call, Sangita tailor at 281 304 0727 or Mahesh Patel at 2819544275.

The Common Core What it is and What it isn’t

Launched in 2009 by state leaders, the Common Core standards were implemented to ensure all students are graduating high school and prepared for a future career. Forty-three states have adopted the Common Core standards; however Texas is not one of them. While the state has not adopted Common Core, standardized tests and college entrance exams, such as the ACT and SAT, are being adjusted to reflect many of the same concepts as the Common Core.

Parents and students in Texas should be prepared to understand what the Common Core is and what concepts students will be expected to know for these types of tests.

The Common Core goals are to define a clear set of standards that are the same throughout the country.

Common Core is heavily focused on making sure students understand the “why” behind concepts, rather than just memorizing methods and formulas to get to an answer.

In the Common Core there are fewer topics covered in each grade compared to previous education standards, but the curriculum is more indepth and comprehensive. Instead of having students cover as many topics as possible in each grade level, there is a greater emphasis on making sure students have a solid understanding of concepts before moving on to

more difficult curricula. This is done through what Common Core calls “conceptual understanding and application,” meaning that students have to be able to connect concepts they have learned in addition to knowing how to apply what they know in problem solving.

Since there is more emphasis on in-depth understanding of each topic, teachers are using non-traditional methods of solving fundamental problems. This may cause some frustration for parents.

“Common Core has evoked emotionally charged frustration among parents, who feel that math specifically is now being taught differently than it was when they were in school,” said Victor Ho, Director of Math Curriculum Development at Best in Class. “They feel unable to help their children with homework.”

A common misconception about the Common Core is that it requires teachers to teach a certain way, which tends to be viewed as more complicated. However, the Common Core is simply a set of standards put in place with the goal of streamlining concepts that students across the country should understand at the completion of each grade level. Although it provides a clear outline for each grade level, local teachers know what works best in the classroom. This is why the Common Core standards establish what students need to learn, however it does not govern how educators should teach the material.

Common Core standards do not provide any teaching materials and it is up to the school district to interpret the standards.

For more information about Best in Class services for your student, or about current franchising opportunities, visit www.bestinclasseducation.com or call toll-free at 1.888.683.8108.

Best in Class is targeting the addition of 20 additional units in 2014.

The state of Texas has been identified as a key state for growth. The current team behind Best in Class is looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join this premier franchise family and ensure our youth will excel academically.

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

18 January 30, 2015 State of the Two Unions

Before Barack Obama, no American president had ever been chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade, in part because its date clashes with the US president’s annual State of the Union address.

But Obama advanced this address this year to keep a historic date with us. What’s fascinating is how much of an overlap he scripted into his State of the Union address and the stirring Siri Fort speech with which he said au revoir to India.

First, the push for middle class economics. In the US he asked, “Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?” In India, he drew attention to the problems of new wealth growing alongside rising inequalities. The India speech brought to limelight Vishal – son of Delhi labourers Obama had first met during his 2010 India visit – also striving, aspiring against tall odds. The grandson of a cook has become US president and a tea seller has become India PM. Second, defending diversity. At Siri Fort Obama made a comparison between the American First Amendment and Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, to make the case that in both cases the true strength of the nation derives from its very diversity – rather than its economy! In his State of the Union address he had highlighted the importance of defending free speech and condemning the persecution of women or religious minorities or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender – “We do these things not only because they’re right, but because they make us safer.”

Third, equal rights for women. In the US context, Obama drew attention to how childcare is treated as a “women’s issue” rather than the national economic priority it truly is, plus how women are still not being paid the same as men for doing the same work.

In the Indian context, he admitted to being impressed by entirely female contingents from the Army, Navy and the Air Force marching alongside male officers in the Republic Day parade. He said, every daughter deserves the same chances as a son – “Every woman should be able to go about her day, to walk the street, or ride the bus, and be safe and be treated with respect and dignity.

She deserves that.” Bottomline: “Nations are more successful when their women are successful.”

Fourth, education for youth. The challenges of a 21st century marketplace have set both India and America scrambling. Their bases are vastly different but the goal is the same – train young workers anew for new jobs. What Obama said in his State of the Union address for the US holds no less true for India – “We still live in a country where too many bright, striving [citizens] are priced out of the education they need. It’s not fair to them, and it’s not smart for our future.” Increasing access to programmes for imparting and upgrading skills for a rapidly changing workplace is a common challenge for Obama and Modi governments.

Final Obama takeaway for the state of Indian and American republics: “When we see each other we see a reflection of ourselves.”

Renuka Bisht in Times of India

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

RK Laxman: An Uncommon Insight

BY GAUTAM ADHIKARI When a Great One retires from the game of life, tributes rise in a tsunami of eulogies. R K Laxman, if he were to write his own epitaph from Out There would probably, like his iconic creation the Common Man in that worn-out tweed and dhoti, just stare in befuddled amusement. He wouldn’t say a word.

He wouldn’t have to. He could just point to his files, meticulously compiled over six decades of the 20th century, and walk away, mouth turned down in a crooked grin, one eyebrow arched, wearing white bush shirt and black trousers, swinging arms in a characteristically jaunty stride. He could be saying, as he often did, in a ridiculous fake British accent: “Young man, take life seriously, I say. Take a walk.” And we’d go for an aimless stroll in Azad Maidan, behind the Times building in Bori Bunder.

All that can be said about this enigmatically brilliant man has been said, even before the obituaries have begun to roll out. His awards, his quintessentially southern small town sense of wonderstruck humour, an adoring partnership with his brother R K Narayan, what he meant for India’s self-perception and for The Times of India, his quirkiness, his endless drawings of crows. I can’t really add much, would just like to share random memories of a fan awestruck by the man’s unusual take on life.

It was the spring of 1988. I had moved with my wife and two young daughters about six months earlier to Cambridge, Massachusetts, on a fellowship and had just begun to feel out life in a different society when Laxman burst into my university office one morning. “So, I’m here,” he declared.

He had come the previous evening to speak at a conference but had been utterly bored by the other speeches and wanted to explore life outside.

I shut my office, strolled around the campus with him all day and took him home for dinner. We decided we’d all drive to New York the next day.

That drive to New York from Boston was perhaps the most continuously uproarious drive anyone had

The Common Man retires from the game of life. ever taken. Laxman talked incessantly, commenting on life whizzing by, on cars we passed and their passengers, on anything that came to his wacky mind. If the doors hadn’t been locked, the children, 13 and 8, would have fallen out of the car, so hard they laughed.

It was almost entirely gentle fun but he had a sense of the macabre. For the only time in my life of freeway driving in the US, the car had to be pulled over to the shoulder as Laxman described a tragic plane crash in Hawaii compelling me to stop out of concern for road safety.

It was a terrible air accident but, with a morose face, he told us how the plane’s top had blown off, making it a “convertible”, with one problem that people were free to fly out, “like this”, if they didn’t have seat belts on, and how a flight attendant had offered wine to a passenger one moment and flown out of the aircraft bottle in hand the next, leaving the passenger slack-jawed.

In fact, the unfortunate plane had landed safely in Hawaii. But that was Laxman. You’d never know where he

might go with a story or what prank he might try next. His mere presence at the daily editorial conference in the Times made it difficult for some of us to keep a straight face while the editor discussed serious issues.

Presided over by the late Girilal Jain, editor of the Times in the 1980s, the morning conference in his office was expected to be a sombre affair.

And so it was, mostly. Giri sat behind a huge desk sucking contemplatively on a usually unlit pipe and would urge us to come up with views on topics of the day. We assistant editors would sit in a semicircle around the table, myself at the far end on Giri’s right, slightly behind his range of vision, and Laxman right across at the other end. On many days, it might be safe to reveal now, it was torture.

If the editor happened to hit a long monologue, Laxman would start pretending to be Giri with an imaginary pipe and make faces at me, or at one of the other assistant editors, making life quite complicated if Giri suddenly chose to ask one of us a question.

Laxman’s way of looking at things from the other end of life’s telescope was perhaps natural for a cartoonist.

But perhaps no other Indian cartoonist could consistently offer that unexpected angle on events. Like when in a ‘You Said It’pocket cartoon he showed a pair of portly politicians, complete with Gandhi caps, emerging from a theatre showing the movie Gandhi. I can’t remember the exact caption but one says to the other: “And, you know, they say it’s a true story.”

Or, when Bill Clinton became the first US president to visit India in 22 years and went one day on a tiger spotting trip to Rajasthan, Laxman showed a tigress in the forest whispering to her cub hiding behind a bush: “Shh, see, that’s Bill Clinton, an American president, a rare animal in these parts.”

Yes, that was Laxman. A rare animal if ever there was one.

Gautam Adhikari is a Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress in Washington, DC. He has been Executive Editor of The Times of India.

He was the founding Editor of DNA (Daily News & Analysis), Mumbai,

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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20 January 30, 2015

COMMUNITY Judge Ravi K. Sandill Inspires Youth

BY SHRAVYA PRABHU HOUSTON: The Government/Politics session of YLDP at the Harris County Civil Courthouse last Saturday was very inspiring and was

full of takeaways for young people.

Judge Ravi K Sandill, the speaker for this session, is a great example of a Level 5 leader, one that is selfless and committed to reaching his goals, because of the challenges he has

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overcome to become the only South Asian elected to a countywide office in Harris County.

Judge Sandill’s life parallels that of Darwin E. Smith, chief executive of paper products company Kimberly-

with cancer. The fact that he was much younger than his opponent, an incumbent of 28 years, did not stop Judge Sandill; he was eventually elected into court, where he is serving as an excellent judge. The fact that

our goals in the face of advsersity.

Judge Sandill has also shown that South Asians can overcome race related struggles by understanding and working with others. When Judge Sandill ran for election, he identified

Clark. Just as Smith continued to lead his company when he was told by doctors that he had less than a year to live, Judge Sandill persisted towards his goal even after a two year battle

Judge Sandill conquered this challenge, especially after a battle with cancer, shows how strong determination can help us succeed. His story inspires us to not give up on achieving

common concerns of his constituents and addressed them. So, his supporters overlooked his race and voted for him on the basis of his ideas and what he was able to contribute. In other words, it is about what we know, and how well we can present what we know. If I am the only South Asian in a room, I now know not to feel out of place because it is just a matter of understanding the issue at hand and confidently expressing oneself.

Lastly, it is also important to consider that Judge Sandill possessed the most important attribute of a Level 5 leaderHumility. He presented with confidence but without showing excessive pride. He is open to the ideas of others.

His message to young future leaders is to that determination and passion are enough to ensure success.

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COMMUNITY

January 30, 2015

MahaVastu Houston Centre: Transforming lives through Vastu

Create your own fate through MahaVastu Houston centre HOUSTON: Famous worldwide for its scientific and effective Vastu solutions without demolitions, MahaVastu Corporation is going to launch its second centre outside India in Houston on February 5. The inauguration will be done by VastuShastri Khushdeep Bansal at Holiday Inn -Westchase.

The launch ceremony will be attended by Chetan Patel– Head of Houston MahaVastu Centre and other famous personalities.

After launching successfully in the financial capital of India- Mumbai, Chhatisgarh’s capital city – Raipur, city of joy- Kolkata and San RamonCalifornia, MahaVastu is going to launch its new centre in Houston which is the biggest industrial city of America. MahaVastu has taken a big step towards fulfilment of its mission of spreading more money, love, prosperity and happiness in every home of Houston. Vastu Shastra is an ancient Indian art of creating happiness in buildings, and has always been in huge demand in Texas.

Citing the rising interest of people in Houston MahaVastu Centre Head, Chetan Patel says that he has decided to open MahaVastu centre due to its USP of delivering results without breaking structures. Now, through scientific Vastu of MahaVastu, people of Houston will get the most effective

Vastu solutions and reap amazing benefits of Vastu without making demolitions in their beautiful Homes.

Most of the persons who availed MahaVastu solutions and remedies for their homes, offices and industries in last 20 years, are now achieving highest levels of success.

A 2-days Vastu Foundation Course is also going to be started soon at Houston centre. One will get to learn how to select a Vastu compliant new homes, ideal colour themes as per Vastu, beneficial application of Pyramids, Vastu remedies and books. Apart from these, they will also get practical training on how to see directions with magnetic compass. These will help the people of Texas to live with more money, love and happiness.

MahaVastu™ is the leading and established brand in the domain of Vastu. Advising customized Vastu solutions without demolitions is its USP.

MahaVastu Centre also provides scientific Vastu Checkup Reports, Vastu perfect designs for new buildings, tested Vastu remedies and advanced courses on Vastu and Numerology.

Hundreds of Interior Designers, Architects, House wives, Businessmen, Astrologers and Vastu enthusiasts have done MahaVastu Course and are providing professional Vastu services across the globe as certified Vastu experts.

This Houston centre is a new link in the chain of 240 Centres of MahaVastu Corporation which will facilitate construction of Vastu perfect homes, buildings and businesses in Texas also.

Today’s scientific and practical Vastu Shastra – MahaVastu is an outcome of documented research on Vastu based on over 12,000 successful Vastu case studies done in the past two decades by Vastu Guru Khushdeep Bansal, author of the World’s biggest book on Vastu Shastra – MahaVastu Handbook.

MahaVastu visions to set up 240 centres across the globe in near future.

Starting with a negligible investment, the expected turnover of a MahaVastu Centre can be in billions.

For more information contact: Phone: 832 412 2827, 832 269 9000 Email: ask.hou@mahavastu.com www.mahavastu.com

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Club 65 Takes a Trip to Coushatta Casino

BY JASEEM PASHA, MD HOUSTON: On January 18, 54 Houstonian Seniors of the Club 65 made a trip all the way to the City of Kinder in the Southwest Louisiana to join in the 20th anniversary celebration of the Coushatta Casino Resort, a hustle and bustle place, a magnificent complex, and frankly not a bad place to spend few hours and have fun.

The Club 65 has made its name.

Members are always waiting for the first Saturday to get together each month. For this trip the entire executive committee of Club 65, including Farida Jinnah, Treasurer, Rozina Jaferali, Volunteer, under the adroit leadership of its President Paru McGuire, assisted by Fatehali Chatur, Chairman of Board of Directors, worked very hard to ensure that the senior members have a great time.

And, indeed, they did.

It was a custom ordered day - blue

skies and the cool breeze, which welcomed the Club 65 members at a refreshment stop on the border of TX and LA. The almost 4-hour trip started with goodie bag of orange juice, glucose biscuits, fruit bits, granola bar and chips. Entertained with a movie and the brouhaha, all made it to the Casino by noon.

Everyone was the first time visitor.

As a courtesy of the Club of 65, each senior received a $15.00 a head so people could buy their own lunch and a $20 complimentary coupon to play at the Casino. There were long lines for registration but everything was well managed. Then everyone spread out to play or just watch and did not meet until the time to board the bus at 3:45 pm.

Coushatta Casino Resort was certainly a gambling place by definition. It was not exactly the frill or the glamour that Vegas have. There were lots of slot machines varying

from 1¢ to five dollars, few table games, such as poker, baccarat, blackjack, and craps, the digital roulette game and plenty of TV screens to watch the sporting events. The lunch buffet was okay. Many complained that the casino was “too smoky”. One could see someone’s Grandma and Grandpa chain-smoking.

While heading back to Houston, Paru McGuire and committee members made sure that everyone was kept entertained. People had a good time, singing songs, antakshari, enjoying jokes, poetry and qawwalis. Kaka, Allaudin bhai, Jamil bhai, along with Fateh bhai kept people captivated with songs and unusual remix, while Roomi bhai and Khalid bhai were hilarious with jokes and funny Shairi.

After experiencing the camaraderie that the members displayed as well as the fun they had, a few guests who also came on the trip decided to become members.

Club 65 is a non-profit organization under the umbrella of IMAGH (Indian Muslims of Greater Houston).

To find out more about Club 65 or to become a member, please visit, www. imagh.org or call Paru Mcguire at 440-390-1763.

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22 January 30, 2015

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PUZZLES/RECIPES

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Sugar di Dava (Sugar Control Home Remedy) (This recipe was first published in December 2012 and is being repeated with some minor revisions for the third time by popular demand) Diabetes has become a worldwide epidemic among Indians, and especially gets manifested when they reach mid-life and beyond. Our Indian diet which is rich in foods that are fried, have triggered high triglycerides rates among Indians and since these are the rich in refined sugars contribute to stress on the liver, pancreas and kidneys. Usually, this leads to a lower sensitivity to the production of the body’s own insulin and, apart from medication, exercise and diet is important in order to control diabetes or its onset.

Traditional Punjabi home remedies to combat high blood sugar levels rely on herbs and vegetables that are bitter to taste and are considered effective in reducing these levels. Now, scientific studies have confirmed the hypoglycemic effect of the popular vegetable, kerela (bitter melon).

Its juice can be drunk and its extract is also sold in capsule form.

Methi (fenugreek) is another popular vegetable that is also thought to be able to control sugar levels and is eaten stuffed in paranthas or with aloo (potatoes) as a dish. For effective control of sugar, it is best eaten when its seeds are ground up as a powder.

Kali jeeri (dried black cumin seeds) are found all over the Indian Subcontinent, usually above 5,500 feet elevation. They are used sparingly in cooking to add some extra aroma and help in digestion, but it has been traditionally known to help reduce sugar levels.

Another herb that is now being promoted as an antioxidant in the West is dal chinni (cinnamon). It has been used in Indian kitchens for centuries either in cooking (especially rice) or in teas or ground up and sprinkled as a flavoring.

For the old traditional Punjabi methods of treating high blood sugar levels, I have found that this recipe is very convenient and has helped control my own sugar level. After taking it for a few months, you will notice a difference in the sugar levels, though you should continue to use your regular medicines too. In the olden days, we did not have a method to measure the blood sugar, but now the meters have made it more convenient, so it is important to take

Directions: Chop cabbage, carrot, and string beans into very small pieces.

Chop tomato in small pieces and remove the seeds. Set aside.

Boil the corn in about 1-1/2 cups of water until the corn is soft.

Remove 1/4 cup of corn and set aside.

Blend the rest of the corn into a

a sample reading every morning.

Kali jeeri is often not easy to find, but some Indian grocery stores do carry it. In Houston, I have found it at Patel Brothers stores. Do try this easy home remedy to see if it works for you! Some people say it can also help to reduce bad cholesterol and cure rheumatism and lead to an overall increase in energy and strengthen the immune system.

Ingredients: 1. 50gm methra (fenugreek seeds) 2. 20gm ajawain (carom seeds, also called Bishop’s Weed) 3. 10gm kali jeeri (black cumin seeds)

Directions: 1.Combine the three ingredients and warm them slightly over a tava (hotplate) 2. Crush the combined seed into a powder in a mixee or blender and save it in a glass jar with a tight lid.

3. Before going to bed at night, place half a teaspoon of the powder in your mouth and rinse it down with a glass of lukewarm water.

After some weeks, you can increase it to one teaspoon if you like.

4. Drink the mixture every night for 6 months to a year for best results. Some people see a drop in blood sugar levels within a month.

5. As you see a reduction in sugar levels, you can reduce the dose and then eventually reduce it to once every other day to maintain the reduction.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK ORGANICALLY RISING KHAMIRA ATTA (SOUR DOUGH)

For those who make rotis at home – in my observation, this number is surely quite low in the US – often the atta (wheat flour dough) can be accidentally left out of the refrigerator, In India this happens quite often so people only knead as much as they can consume. Especially during the warm days and nights, the atta sitting outside, un-refrigerated, will start to ferment and will naturally rise, without any yeast in it.

This dough is called khamira atta (sour dough) and is used to make rotis that fluff up almost like fried kulchas and has the taste of sourdough bread. These taste quite good with either dals or channe (chickpea curry) without the bother – and calories – of deep frying the bread. paste and strain.

Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and set aside.

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.

Now add the cumin seeds. After the cumin seeds crack, add the carrot, cabbage, beans and 1/4 cup of water.

Cook the vegetables on medium heat until they are tender.

Next, add the corn paste, corn, cornstarch mixture, and three cups of water to the vegetables. Bring the soup to a boil and lower the heat to medium low. Let the soup cook for another five minutes.Add the lemon juice and serve. www.manjulaskitchen.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ENTERTAINMENT Movie Review: Dolly Ki Doli

BY SHUBHRA GUPTA NEW DELHI: A comely young thing ensnares unsuspecting young men, leads them on, and decamps with everything : broken hearts, hurt egos and wedding loot. ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ has a great idea, and starts off well, but then falls into a familiar trap– of a single-track leading lady piloting a half-baked plot.

Dolly (Sonam Kapoor), pronounced Doleee by her lovelorn beau (Rajkummar Rao), who is not a miss goody-two-shoes and who wants to be her own person, should have been a Bollywood triumph. It’s so hard to

get films top lining heroines, and even harder for them to find the right story to do so. Sonam Kapoor is in almost every frame, and should have filled them all. But the plotting and the treatment of the character shows up Sonam Kapoor’s limitations: she is good-natured, but not versatile.

The con is conducted with an eye on detail, but one cries out to be challenged. Dolly comes in carrying a potion on her ‘suhaagraat’, said drink which has the power to provide deeper shut eye than is natural. In goes the liquid, out come the snores, and off goes the bride. First time, funny haha, but many times over, plain tiresome.

The film has an overpowering Haryanvi-Punjabi vibe, so you need to keep your ears peeled ( and protected, when it comes to the shrieky Puran Singh). The best of the ensemble is Rajkummar Rao, who does wet-eyed dolefulness brilliantly. So is Ayyub, whom the film doesn’t know what to do with. He is left trailing.

Samrat and Sharma make up the rest of the gaggle of guys-who-woo Dolly : the former plays a cop who knows a secret, and the latter wants her to put out, but both are bland.

Ultimately, ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ is neither biting social comment, nor unfettered fun.

-Indian Express

January 30, 2015

From left: Saba Ali Khan, Sharmila Tagore, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Keemu, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan

MUMBAI: Actress Soha Ali Khan tied the knot with longtime partner Kunal Kemmu in an intimate ceremony, January 24.

Soha, 36, and Go Goa Gone star got engaged in Paris in 2014 after dating each other for quite some time.

Keemu took to Twitter to thank his fans for their wishes and shared a picture of himself and Soha from the ceremony.

“A very big thank you to all of you for all the love and blessings.

It’s official now!” he tweeted.

The actress chose to keep the

look for her D-Day minimal as she donned an off-white lehenga-choli set teamed with an orange dupatta and a traditional passa tikka adorning her head.

Kemmu, 31, looked regal in a white-gold sherwani and a silk safa during the registry marriage, which was attended by close family members including Soha’s mother Sharmila Tagore, brother Saif Ali Khan, sister Saba and sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor Khan, who donned a pink Manish Malhotra saree.

-Hindustan Times

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24 January 30, 2015

Women Power to the Fore at Republic Day Parade

It was the first time that the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces—the Army, Navy and Air Force—had an all-woman contingent each marching down Rajpath.

BY NIKITA DOVAL & ASHWAQ MASOODI NEW DELHI: There were several firsts to the 66th Republic Day celebrations. It was the first time that a US President was the chief guest at the ceremony. It was the first time that the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces—the Army, Navy and Air Force—had an all-woman contingent each marching down Rajpath. And it was the first time that a woman officer, Wing Commander Puja Thakur, led the guard of honour to welcome the chief guest, US President Barack Obama, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Reports said the idea of allwoman contingents came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself; he wanted the services to focus on nari shakti (Hindi for woman power).And it was woman power all the way— right from the moment Wg Cdr Puja

Thakur smartly saluted Obama as she invited him to inspect the guard of honour a little after noon on Sunday to Monday morning’s march past by three all-woman contingents. The contingents were 148-strong each, and led by Capt. Divya Ajith (Army), Lt Cdr Sandhya Chauhan(Navy) and Squadron Leader Sneha Shekhawat (Air Force) respectively. “We believe we are second to none,” said Captain Ajith, who made history in 2010 by becoming the first woman to win the Sword of Honour (awarded to the best all-round cadet) at the Officers Training Academy. Thakur, asked about her experiences, said she was an officer first and a woman second.

In a country blighted by its poor safety record for women, who face the threat of rape, sexual harassment and dowry murders among other crimes, the symbolic importance of the all-woman contingents and guard of honour cannot be overstated. “Yes,

it might not translate into much on the ground but you can’t deny that there is some kind of resonance to this,” said feminist writer and publisher Urvashi Butalia. The intent is clearly to re-fashion the image of the average Indian woman from a victim to one who is in control and in a position of strength. “Women in this country are only seen as victims… there is a notion that women are physically weak. Such representations (as on Sunday and Monday) help break stereotypes. The feminization of the defence forces is very important.

Women are not just beneficiaries or victims but also active agents of change,” said Vibhuti Patel, who teaches women’s rights at SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai.

The forces, which started inducting women in 1992, have always provided outstanding examples of women’s empowerment. Flying Officer Gunjan Saxena was the first woman to fly

into a combat zone during the Kargil war. Piloting a Cheetah, her job was to evacuate wounded soldiers. Over the years, several rescue missions in disaster-hit areas such as Uttarakhand in 2013 have been flown by women chopper pilots. The daily Beating the Retreat ceremony at the Wagah border with Pakistan has been led by two women soldiers from the Border Security Force (BSF) since 2010 from the all-woman BSF training camp near Hoshiarpur, Punjab. “In fact a veteran Pakistani officer had once jokingly asked me: ‘What does India feed these women? They brook no nonsense, not even jocular comments from our men’,” recalls defence analyst and military historian, Mandeep Singh Bajwa. Indian forces opened up to women only in 1992, though they had been appointed to the Military Nursing Service and the Medical Officers cadre since 1927 and 1943 respectively. In an article written in 2010, Maj. Gen. Mrinal Suman (retd.) said women make up 2.44% of the work force in the Indian Army, 3% in the Navy and 6.7% in the Air Force. In the Air Force women are eligible for ground duty and to fly transport aircraft and helicopters while in the Indian Navy, women are inducted in the Education branch and Logistics and Law cadres. A Press Information Bureau report from 2008 said that “women officers are not being posted to serve afloat. The present design of ships, congested living conditions do not allow a mix crew…” No women are involved in combat roles. In fact it was only in 2008 that it was decided to grant permanent commission to women officers inducted initially for short service commission in those arms of the services that do not involve direct combat roles. “I think it is time we integrate women soldiers in combat.

There is a very strong patriarchal attitude in the forces which cites every-

thing from physiological to practical reasons for not including women but forces across the world have women in combat,” says defense analyst Bajwa. The Russians had women snipers and machine gunners during World War II; Queen Elizabeth II of England drove a military truck in the same war. Ironically, Subhash Chandra Bose’s pro-freedom Indian National Army (INA) set up a women’s regiment, the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, one of the few all female combat regiments of the war.

Even Pakistan has inducted women fighter pilots. The attitude of the services towards its women officers has been questioned over the years. In 2006, a serving officer, Lt Sushmita Chakraborty, committed suicide and, according to her parents, “extreme dissatisfaction” with her profile led her to take the extreme step. It was alleged that she was repeatedly assigned the task of arranging official parties at the Officers Mess. Anjali Gupta, the first woman officer to be court-martialled, also committed suicide though the reasons cited for that were personal. “Most of the women officers I have come across are tough as nails and very committed to their profession. The services have to find a way to utilize their potential,” said Bajwa. Ritu Swan, professor and head, Centre for Gender Economics, department of economics, University of Mumbai, agrees. She said that if the government were really serious about promoting women’s empowerment and ‘nari shakti’then they could begin by giving “permanent commission and equal rights in the forces”. Till date the Indian Army has only had one woman lieutenant general, Punita Arora. “Every profession should and must be open to women, if women themselves wish to get into this, then let’s not create an argument,” said Butalia.

-livemint.com

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PM Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama Find the N-key

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama during ‘Walk and Talk’ at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

NEW DELHI (H T): Barack Obama touched down in India on Sunday to a bear hug of a welcome from Narendra Modi, and hours later the leaders announced a big step forward in a nuclear deal that has become the cornerstone of ties between the world’s biggest democracies.

The dramatic progress in the stalled six-year-old civilian nuclear agreement ensured that a day replete with symbolism also packed in plenty of substance: in addition, the two sides operationalised joint production of key defence equipment, spoke of a new vision for the Asia Pacific, where rival China is flexing its muscles,

strengthened cooperation in clean energy and pledged to fight terror.

The United States also offered its much-needed support to India’s membership of four global exporter groups that deal in the most sensitive weapons technology. [Read full text of joint statement (courtesy: MEA website)] “We have reached breakthrough understandings on two issues that were holding up our ability to fully implement the civil nuclear agreement... And we hope to begin commercial trade soon,” Obama told a packed news conference at Hyderabad House near Delhi’s iconic India

Gate. Sources said that the two sides had negotiated late into the previous night to hammer out a deal.

The Americans have given up their demand to track what happens to the nuclear fuel that they supply to India; they have also agreed to New Delhi’s proposal of setting up a Rs. 1,500-crore “insurance pool” that will indemnify US suppliers.

American companies have stayed away from the Indian nuclear sector because of Indian laws that hold suppliers, not just the operator, liable if an accident occurs.

Atstakeisan$85-billionprogramme to increase nuclear capacity to 63,000 MW from 4,780 MW, which could form a key part of Modi’s pet Make in India drive and offer megabucks in contracts to US companies.

Shortly before the announcement, Obama and Modi went for a walk in the gardens of Hyderabad House. The Indian Prime Minister, who as a child worked at a station tea stall, poured tea for the US President.

Later, at a state banquet in his honour, Obama — his country’s first black president — touched on the similarities between his life and Modi’s.

“People say my life story can only

happen in America. I would say, Mr Prime Minister, your life story can only happen in India,” he said to applause from the near 250 guests gathered at a glittering presidential palace.

The day had begun with similar warmth. Modi broke with protocol by welcoming Obama at the airport, waiting on the tarmac as the door of Air Force One opened just before 10am and Barack and Michelle Obama emerged. The two leaders exchanged a friendly hug, setting the tone for the day.

Among the other agreements, India and the US decided to ratchet up counter-terrorism cooperation and capabilities. Without naming Pakistan, Modi said, “There should be no distinction between terrorist groups. Every country must fulfil its commitments to eliminate terrorist safe havens and bring terrorists to justice.”

The two sides reaffirmed the need for joint and concerted efforts to disrupt entities such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, D Company and the Haqqani Network. They also reiterated their call for Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai

to justice.

Obama said he and Modi also talked about a new vision for the Asia-Pacific. This comes at a time when Beijing’s aggressive posturing in the resource-rich South China Sea region has shifted global attention to the area. [Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region: Full text (courtesy: MEA website)] In the joint statement, the two sides said, “We affirm the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight throughout the region, especially in the South China Sea.” The two countries committed to continue to work towards India’s phased entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement, and the Australia Group. Obama reaffirmed Washington’s position that India met MTCR requirements and was ready for NSG membership.

India and the US also cemented their strategic partnership, with a Declaration of Friendship on the guiding principles of “chalein saath saath ( forward together we go)” and “sanjha prayaas, sabka vikaas (shared effort, progress for all)”.

FIIs Inflow Reaches Rs 21,000 Crore so Far in January NEW DELHI: Overseas investors have pumped in a staggering over Rs.21,000 crore in Indian capital markets since the beginning of the month owing to easing inflation and rate cut by Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) have bought shares worth Rs.5,992 crore ($977 million) till 23 January, while bought debt worth Rs.15,336 crore ($2.5 billion) taking the total investment to Rs.21,328

crore ($3.45 billion), latest data with Central Depository Services Ltd (CDSL) showed. These investors got re-christened as Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) last year under a new regulatory regime that promises to make it easier for them to invest in India. Market analysts attributed the huge inflow to low inflation levels and rate cut by RBI. The central bank on 14 January surprised market participants with a 25 basis point

rate cut. Besides, foreign investors are betting on Indian capital markets on expectations of more rate cuts by the apex bank. In 2014, the net investment by overseas investors into the debt markets was Rs.1.16 lakh crore, while in the equities it stood at Rs.98,150 crore. Overall, net investment by foreign investors stood at Rs.2.58 lakh crore in 2014.

-livemint.com

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26 January 30, 2015 Form Sheet for ICC’s World Cup 2015 AUSTRALIA Defeated England by three wickets, January 23, Hobart Australia v India (washed out), January 26, Sydney Australia have secured their place in the ODI Tri-Series final on February 1.

Steve Smith: Smith’s 102 off 95 saw Australia over the line in a challenging run chase. The batsman added a century on his ODI captaincy debut to the one he made while in charge of the Test side for the first time earlier this summer.

Brad Haddin: When Australia’s run chase was starting to look shaky, the experience of Haddin shone through. His crucial 42 from 29 deliveries showed why the selectors keep faith in the 37 year old. Behind the stumps he took one catch and effected consecutive run-outs.

ENGLAND Lost to Australia by three wickets, January 23, Hobart Must defeat India at the WACA on Friday, January 30, to advance to the ODI Tri-Series final.

Ian Bell: England’s standout.

Bell followed up his half-century against India from the previous week with a quick-fire century against Australia, scoring 141 off 125 deliveries.

Moeen Ali: He played a major role in England’s excellent start, combining with Bell in a 113-run opening stand, scoring 46 runs off 48 balls.

Joe Root: England’s other standout in a game dominated by the batsmen. Root scored a snappy 69 off 70 to help the visitors reach 8-303 off its 50 overs.

INDIA Australia v India (washed out), January 26, Sydney Must defeat England at the WACA on Friday, January 30, to advance to the ODI Tri-Series final.

Only 16 overs were bowled at the SCG before rain caused the match to be abandoned. Ajinkya Rahane was 28 runs from 50 balls when play ended, while Virat Kohli (3 off 9) was the other batsman at the crease, with India 2-69.

NEW ZEALAND Fifth ODI: Defeated Sri Lanka

by 108 runs, January 23, Dunedin Sixth ODI: Defeated Sri Lanka by 120 runs, January 25, Dunedin New Zealand lead series 4-1 with one match remaining.

Luke Ronchi: Carried on his good form from the fourth ODI – where he slammed 24 runs off the 48th over to secure victory – with a massive 170 from 99 balls in the January 23 encounter. His innings came when New Zealand was in serious trouble at 5-89, having lost Brendan McCullum (25), Corey Anderson (8) and Kane Williamson (26).

Grant Elliott: Elliott needed runs to stake a claim on the starting XI and he did just that in Dunedin, combining with Ronchi in a record sixth-wicket partnership of 267. Elliott’s unbeaten 104 from 96 balls showed why selectors placed their faith in the 35 year old by including him in the World Cup squad. He followed that performance with a handy 21 from 14 in the next match.

Trent Boult: He was the best of the Kiwi bowlers in the January 23 victory, emerging with 4-44 off 10 overs. Elliott, Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan all picked up two apiece.

Kane Williamson: The Black Caps appear to have no shortage of batsmen putting their hands up this summer. Kane Williamson followed up his fourth ODI century with 97 from 95 balls in the sixth match.

Ross Taylor: He secured his first big score of the ODI series in the sixth match, scoring 96 from 102 as he helped NZ post a dominant 8-315.

Corey Anderson: Chipped in with the bat (40 from 28) in the sixth ODI before tearing through the Sri Lanka batting line-up taking 4-52 from his 10 overs.

SOUTH AFRICA Third ODI: Defeated West Indies by nine wickets, January 21, East London Fourth ODI: Lost to West Indies by one wicket, January 25, Port Elizabeth South Africa lead series 3-1 with one match remaining Hashim Amla: Amla’s unbeaten 61 not out in the third ODI took his runs tally for the series to 280 with just one dismissal.

Faf de Plessis: The batsman joined in his teammates’ runs-fest, scoring 51 off 71 balls in the third match as his team chased the Windies’ total with ease.

Imran Tahir: The leg-spinner secured a career-best 4-28 in the third ODI, playing a major role in dismissing West Indies for a disappointing 122.

Vernon Philander: He earned man of the match accolades for his 3-27 from eight overs, including two wickets in the first two overs.

David Miller: South Africa’s standout in the fourth ODI defeat.

His big century (130 from 133) was the only score above 50 and helped the Proteas to a respectable total of 8-262.

SRI LANKA Fifth ODI: lost to New Zealand by 108 runs, January 23, Dunedin Sixth ODI: lost to New Zealand by 120 runs, January 25, Dunedin New Zealand lead series 4-1 with one match remaining.

Tillakaratne Dilshan: Combined with Lahiru Thirimanne (45 off 65) in a 93-run opening partnership, scoring 116 from 106 balls.

Unfortunately the remainder of the line-up could not continue the good work once the opening pair was dismissed.

Kumar Sangakkara: He was Sri Lanka’s only batsman to post a decent score in an otherwise disappointing sixth ODI, scoring 81 runs off 66 balls.

WEST INDIES Third ODI: Lost to South Africa by nine wickets, January 21, East London Fourth ODI: Defeated South Africa by one wicket, January 25, Port Elizabeth South Africa lead series 3-1 with one match remaining.

Marlon Samuels: He was impressive in helping the Windies to their first win of the ODI series on January 25, top-scoring with 68 off 93.

Andre Russell: Russell’s 64 runs off 40 balls and WHAT earned him man-of-the-match honours in the fourth ODI. His form provided the Windies with a much-needed confidence boost ahead of the World Cup. Darren Sammy: The other West Indies batsman to produce a fifty in the one-wicket win. Sammy (51 off 52) and Russell’s lower order runs saved the day for the Windies, who were 5-73 after 20.5 overs.

Jason Holder: The West Indies captain was the standout with the ball in the fourth ODI, snaring 4-53 off his 10. Sheldon Cottrell (2-39) provided support.

SPORTS

Padma Shri for India Captain Mithila Raj

Mithila Raj: A pleasant surprise.

HYDERABAD (PTI): Surprised at being selected for the Padma Shri, India Women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj says she was not expecting the prestigious honour with some men’s team superstars also in the race.

“Honestly when I was pitted against Virat Kohli, I gave up because when you compare us with men’s cricket then we think that we may not get it. So I was not expecting it, but it came as a pleasant surprise,” Raj told PTI from her Hyderabad home.

A veteran of 153 ODIs, 10 Tests and 47 T20 internationals since her debut in 1999, Raj, 32, believes that the Padma Shri will certainly help the cause of Indian women’s cricket.

“It (the national awards) is a nice way of appreciating your efforts, because at a time when I started playing cricket, there was no awareness of women’s cricket. People did not even know that women’s cricket existed.

And from that phase to today where people would want to follow women’s cricket, I think we have come a long way,” Raj said.

“These awards will really prop up the young girls and players to take up the sport and do much better. With this award probably people will follow women’s cricket keenly and will take a note of the international women’s calendar,” she added.

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